Multifunctional Role of Integrated Farming System in Developing Countries

Abstract

Agro-ecological practices, including integration within farming systems, have increasingly been acknowledged as key development alternative to safeguard rural people's basic needs. It also enhances farmers' socio-ecological capacities to sustain livelihoods. This paper explores the multidimensional nature of agro-ecological practices and takes stock of its multiple outcomes in smallholder systems of developing countries. Literatures suggest that farm ers' foremost concern is to meet their socioeconomic , cultural and ecological needs in addition to combating multiple adversities caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. This asks for planned integration among the components in small farms leading to reduced stress and multiple benefits to the farm households. Integration among the components of farming system are often employed as a livelihood strategy in small farms and it plays a pivotal role in meeting the multidimensional needs of the farm family such as food security, risk reduction, income and employment, biodiversity, carbon storage and energy efficiency in farm. Public extension must appreciate IFS as a socio-ecological intervention, instead of a technology, to achieve varied desirable socioeconomic ecological outcomes.

Development of a successful IFS model for livelihood sustenance of small households of Uttar Pradesh

“…emphasized that livelihood of small farm households can be achieved through adoption of developed IFS model in Bihar. Dasgupta et al (2015) highlighted that integrated farming system also enhances farmers' socio-ecological capacities to sustain livelihoods.…”

Soil-health management in nutrient-deficient soils: A case study of Indian farmers

“…It is clear from data (Table 2) that farmers had rich knowledge about IFS and it was found that IFS help them in increasing the production ranked 1 st with highest weighted mean score of 1.92. IFS maintain soil health properly (Singh et al 2014), IFS give the income round the year (Kumar et al 2013) and IFS help to generate the employment throughout the year (Dasgupta et al 2015), all thrice were equally ranked at lowest position with weighted mean score of 1.79. Majority of farmers in India belongs to small and marginal land holding categories (Sahu et al 2019) and therefore IFS may be adopted as an alternative.…”

Geographical Indication to Build up Resilient Rural Economies: A Case Study from Ghana

“…In many developing countries, experiences of unconventional farming are becoming even more important. These experiences are drawn on multifunctional agriculture and are demonstrating good performance along the paths of sustainable rural development (see among others [6,7]).…”